Search - Everyone Worth Knowing

Very similar to "The Devil Wears Prada", although the story has a better role for "the guy who isn't good for her" and a reasonably appealing "guy she really wants".

Story is basically university-educated Jewish girl from Upstate New York moves to New York City, has a boring job she hates and quits, takes a job as a party planner because her flamboyantly gay celebrity uncle tells her to, and gets caught up in a job that takes over her life, causing rifts with her family and best friend (sound familiar?).

I found it highly predictable, and had worked out all the "surprise" plot twists long before they were revealed, and I found the protagonist, Bette, to be easily manipulated, naive, and fairly tiresome.

The structure of the book is, admittedly, solid, with well-written descriptive prose that very much sets the scene and mood. It's unfortunate that the characters are all fairly two-dimensional and the plot "twists" so predictable.

Lauren Weisberger really hit the big time with her first novel, The Devil Wears Prada, and was most likely encouraged to milk the rebound from Prada with a similar type of novel. In fact, I'm wondering if she can write anything that's really different at this point in time, if ever.

What I find irritating about her books is that the main character is always a spoiled, whiny child who manages to get a job that other people would be infinitely grateful to have - the perks are amazing and the job provides opportunities for tremendous career growth. The pay isn't all that great and the hours are long - but hey, I'd rather have a job like this than work the same amount of time at Burger King and Walmart. But do Weisberger's characters see it this way? No, they'd rather whine about the long hours, "hard work," cattiness and difficult demands than count their obvious blessings. Further, they do this with a sense of righteousness - as if earning a great deal of money working a straight 40 hour week with honest, cooperative co-workers immediately out of college is something they are entitled to have.

In Prada, Weisberger must have been told that her characters were a bit too one-dimensional, because this book is stuffed with characters who have an eccentricity. Only one per character, and their quirkiness seems pulled out of a book of stereotypes.

However, all this said, it was still a fun read. Why? Because a.) it gives you an insight into a world that most of us will never be a part of, with luxurious opportunities and gifts raining from heaven and b.) it allows US to feel self-righteous as we smugly imagine what WE would do if given the same opportunity!

So I would not pass up this book on its shortcomings, because even though it's advantages seem less influential, they make the reading worthwhile.

If you enjoyed Prada on ANY level, this book is definitely for you.

I enjoyed this book as much as her other book "The Devil Wears Prada." It's a similar story of a young 20 something working for a hip company in NYC. A light, entertaining read.

Even for chicklit, this remarkably vacuous book is full of pretentious name-dropping and shallow characters. Fuggedaboudit.

I found this just as entertaining as the Devil Wears Prada. Enjoyed the characters and their stories, loved the glam settings and found it great escapism.

Remember "Airplane 2: The Sequel" ? That's kind of what it felt like to read this follow-up carbon-copy to The Devil Wears Prada. On its own, a fun read... I like the backdrop of the entertainment industry and the love story is kinda cute... you'll enjoy it for what it is. A great beach/plane/chick lit read.